Written by John Edward Betancourt The 1990s were a fascinating time for the horror film industry. Because horror is a special genre, one that always reflects the zeitgeist of the times and well, since the 90s were a prosperous and happy go lucky times, a different breed of horror film hit the market back then. If anything, this is an era that was heavily grounded in plucky B-movies that loved to offer up a bevy of one-liners and goofy monsters and for proof look no further than films in the vein of Ice Cream Man or Dr. Giggles. But while the majority of the decade provided horror fans with some interesting stories, the end of the 90s brought about quite the shift in the overall tone of the industry. It could be related to the fact that Y2K fears were beginning to bubble, or creative folks behind the scenes decided it was time for enough of the bubblegum stuff. But one way or another, quality and thoughtful horror started to return to the market; starting with Wes Craven’s delightful slasher flick Scream before ending with something quite incredible. For in 1999, a truly unique horror film hit the market. One that quickly made its writer/director a household name, and it is a motion picture that quite frankly caught everyone that went to see it off guard, courtesy of the stunning twist ending present in, The Sixth Sense. Now, this is a motion picture that just about everyone has seen as this point, so taking the time to discuss the plot and the big twist at the end would be a titanic waste of time. Because both elements have been written about ad nauseam. So instead, today is a wonderful time to reflect upon this film in general and look at some of the other incredible storytelling elements present within its framework, since it really does offer more than a shock ending. Case and point, the fact that this movie features some supremely philosophical ideas when it comes to life and death, that are subtle in nature, and the latter of those concepts is explored by way of Cole’s journey. Because the terror that Cole experiences when he interacts with the spirits of the world is designed to speak as a metaphor for how a vast majority of humanity fears death in every way imaginable. Because we shun it and try to avoid it, just like Cole does and it isn’t until Cole takes the time to learn more about the ghosts chasing him and what brought them to this point that he finds some semblance of peace. And the message embedded in this part of the story is clear in that, death is a natural phenomenon, one that we cannot escape and it is best that we understand it and make peace with it and oddly enough, Cole’s journey leads to the other metaphorical message present within in this film, one that is surprisingly uplifting in nature. For in many ways, this movie asks us to celebrate life every single chance that we get. Because if we ignore the small and wonderful moments that bring us endless joy or lower our heads and miss the beauty surrounding us, we will come to regret it when our lives are nearing their ends. And that message is broadcast by way of Malcolm’s journey in this tale. Because his time as a spirit is one filled with regret, over his failure to help someone like Cole and over the time he never spent with his wife and it isn’t until he deals with both of those issues that he finds peace in the afterlife and it’s fascinating to see a ghost story make the spirit’s unfinished business something that is relatable to the audience and it only adds to the brilliance of this film. But what truly makes this movie so special, it its ability to transcend time. For this is a story that can take place in any era and its quality characters and powerful story, allow for anyone to enjoy this story and get lost within its powerful framework. Plus, as an added bonus, the scares in this film are genuinely creepy and effective and that twist ending does still have a lot of punch after all these years. If anything, this really is a film to be celebrated since writer/director M. Night Shyamalan tapped into something special here and if by chance you haven’t seen this magnificent film, you really should take a moment to enjoy one quality horror film, one filled to the brim with thoughtful and poignant moments.
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Written by Scott Edwards Defending who you are as a person should never have to happen, but we seem to have to do it on a daily basis. Being your own person has been made difficult because everyone wants you to be somebody else, and those who do not conform to that are qualified as weird or strange. In reality, it does not matter what others think about you and how you live your life as long as you are happy with who you are. There is always somebody out there that will applaud you for being an individual and not part of the crowd. Being locked up for several months, Eve finally has a plan of escaping her captor. When Phil comes into her cell with a soup that he has made especially for her, Eve is able to knock him out using a brick that she has hidden from his view. Trying to escape through the house, Eve finds that she is in the middle of nowhere and will need to do some additional digging to find out where she is and how she will be able to return to the real world. Searching through some old files, Eve finds a handful of pictures and documents that shows her that she is not the only one who this has happened to and wants to bring Phil to justice. When approaching the monster that has been keeping her captive for so long, Phil offers her a trade, a trip to the hospital for the whereabouts of the other girls. Eve wants to return to safety but leaving the other girls out there to be tortured does not sit well with her and she accepts the deal. Heading off to the first house, Phil lets his new captor walk into a situation where his first victim has been broken and will not listen to reason. Being unchained, young Nina makes her way out the door and trips on a hose causing her to fall and impale herself on the gate. Blaming Eve for her death, Phil offers his next victim’s whereabouts, but Laura has gone crazier than Nina. Trying to kill the woman that freed her, Laura is gunned down by Eve in self-defense and there is another girl that Eve has to take responsibility for killing. Driving to the next house to free Lea, Phil continues to torment Eve with the deaths she has caused. Phil even recounts what happened to the other girls that were brought in with Eve and that their deaths were on her hands as well. Knowing that this is just a mind game, Eve arrives at the address to free Lea and finds two additional men in the house with her. Killing both men for what they have done and were about to do, Lea is forced to stay with the woman that rescued her and the tied-up Phil in the back of the van. Not knowing what to expect from the next address that Phil is able to ramble off, the two women are on their way to see what secrets he has been hiding. But when Phil starts talking one on one with Eve, he divulges that he knows Eve’s boyfriend Ronnie and he had found the next place on his own. When the two former prisoners arrive at the warehouse, they find much more than they bargained for. Ready to kill Phil for what he has done, he has one more address that will change Eve’s outlook on the entire situation and possibly her life. Eve's internal battle with trying to be able to tell the difference between right and wrong is the perfect mind screw that this movie provides. Knowing that there are other girls out there that have been kidnapped and need to be rescued, Eve is the only person that can get the job done, but the more she sees these women and what her captor has done to them, she is worried that they will all be trying to kill her. Phil has seen how different Eve is and makes multiple comments to her about it, but when he starts blaming his victim for the deaths of her former cell mates, along with the girls she is trying to free, well, all bets are off. Eve wants to save as many women from this monster as she can, but when she starts to lose focus and starts listening to Phil’s ramblings, she may not be able to tell what is right and wrong. A good story and a fantastic cast make this movie a believable story of retribution and vengeance. Stay Scared. Written by John Edward Betancourt THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.Over the course of its first eight episodes, Locke & Key has done a phenomenal job of exploring some unique concepts. After all, it’s examined the importance of fighting our fears, and how alcoholism is an illness that needs to be treated instead of demonized, and most importantly of all it’s done a phenomenal job of examining the lasting impact of loss and grief. But while these explorations have been poignant and fascinating in their own right, there is a grand mystery filled with questions that have yet to be answered and clearly putting that off was always part of the plan. Because the next episode in this magnificent series, takes the time to finally address those questions and that made ‘Echoes’ quite the incredible tale when all is said and done. Because it truly left no stone unturned, even going so far as to take us a year into the past, wherein we were able to learn that Ellie was the one that made the cryptic phone call to Mark, setting in motion a grand series of events, one that saw Dodge return to her life disguised as Lucas. And this hybrid monster was more than willing to make life hell for Ellie since it was the one responsible for Joe Ridgeway’s death and it was also why Ellie was in the Locke’s basement, since she was there to retrieve a strange looking crown from the rec room. But while Ellie was happy to serve this blast from the past for as long as possible, pressure from the Locke family and a horrible request for her to sift through Rendell’s ashes, prompted Ellie to open up to the family and reveal the other secrets of this tale. Which means that it was time for a voyage through her memories via the Mind Key and by taking a stroll down memory lane, we were finally able to learn what happened at the Sea Caves all those years ago. As it turns out, Ellie and her friends used the Omega Key to open that mysterious door and sadly, something got out and entered Lucas’ body, and that thing was Dodge and she took control of him and killed two of their friends, prompting Rendell to put down Lucas. And in the wake of this horrible night, everyone left alive vowed to never use the keys again and split them up and hid them as well. But alas, a tough day for Ellie prompted her to use the Echo Key at the well and that brought Dodge back from the void and well, we know where the story goes from there. But while it was lovely to finally get some answers as to how the Locke family found themselves surrounded by their current predicament, Dodge was still out there, on the hunt for the Omega Key. But some quick thinking on Bode’s part made everyone realize that if they could get their hands on the missing crown, they could potentially put an end to Dodge since they had the key to go with it and could in turn control her. Which meant that Ellie needed to act fast and bring that crown back to Key House so they could dispatch Dodge with ease. But unfortunately for Ellie, Dodge was already waiting for her and Rufus back at the house and once this demon realized that something mysterious and deceitful was happening in its presence, it made an aggressive move. One that hurt Rufus badly, and gave it possession of the Crown Key and sadly, Dodge is now armed and ready for war with a dark army, and it won’t be long before she makes her way to Key House. In the end however, this really was quite the wonderful episode. Because it’s always a true treat for the fans when the grand plot is revealed, and this particular tale held nothing back and what we learned was both fascinating and powerful. If anything, this finally absolves Ellie of her secretive sins since she’s finally doing right by the late Rendell and his family and hopefully, she and everyone else will be okay when all is said and done. Because it is clear that Dodge is done messing around with the Locke family and that means the season one finale should be nothing short of magnificent. Because this is it, a final battle between good and evil and it is going to take every ounce of creativity and ingenuity that Locke kids possess in order to win this one. Until next time. Written by Scott Edwards For the most part, what happens behind closed doors is none of our business. But if there is something happening that is causing someone pain, well that is a different story altogether. When the truth comes out about what some crazy families have done to others that have entered their home, or what they have done to each other after a tragedy, everyone sees them in a different light. You may never know what is happening right next door to you, so make sure to keep your eyes open. Neve is found by her father in the woods and is a bloody mess. With what appears to be a bite inside of her mouth, she is traumatized beyond belief and wants nothing to do with the house. As the neighbors see this, they want to offer anything to help the young girl, but little do they know what is happening in the house. Months later, Neve is back to her old self and when neighbors Nat and Lucas come to visit again, they hear that Neve is seeing and hearing things, making the house unlivable for her, and when she gets yelled at for checking on her little brother her parents start yelling for no reason. Waking up after her nightly visitor has left, things start moving around Neve’s room and she wants to get her parents attention before something worse happens. When her parents wake up and see Neve with her baby brother in hand, they fear for the baby’s life, but they need to fear for their own. As the house comes alive and attacks and kills her parents, Neve is able to find a hiding place from the strange occurrence, and away from the fire and keeps herself and brother safe until it ends. Being found by a firewoman, Neve’s little brother has died in her arms while she was trying to protect him. Telling the police that she did not see any intruders and the house came alive and killed her parents, the officer is not satisfied and tries to find the mad man that destroyed the young girl’s life. Not wanting their Neve to be on her own, Nat and Lucas take her in to their home and treat her as part of their family. Nat slowly starts to see that whatever happened to Neve has scarred the girl in more than one way as she does not like to be touched. Trying their hardest to make Neve feel like one of the family, Lucas knows that there is something wrong with the girl, but when he speaks badly about her, his house starts doing the same things Neve claimed happened before. Neve is starting to figure out that what happened to her parents was caused by her and when she is upset, she can make things happen with her mind. Saving two classmates from an abusive parent, Neve is stronger than anyone is willing to give her credit and is perfecting her techniques to end the ultimate game. This is a dark movie that stems from child abuse in the worse way, but it goes much further than that. It is amazing how nobody wants to see what has happened to Neve and believe the word of her parents that have been getting away with taking her childhood away from her. Not really the type of revenge movie I would have expected, however the bad are punished and the good are saved in a way and the ending of the movie will leave you speechless. If you have a feeling that something is not right, you might want to question it before you become part of the problem and not the solution. Stay Scared. Written by John Edward Betancourt THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.If there is one particular storytelling element that is more or less a staple of the horror genre, it would have to be social commentary. For horror stories love to examine our world and some of the problems that are currently plaguing mankind and while said commentary is often powerful and poignant, it tends to be grand and sweeping in nature. Which is why Netflix’s Locke & Key is such a breath of fresh air for the genre in general. For its commentary on the world is laser focused and relatable since it has taken the time to examine that fallout that comes about from loss and trauma. But as it turns out, this series had one other intimate concept in mind that it wanted to explore, one that only a handful of scary stories have ever taken the time to examine; alcoholism. For ‘Ray of F**king Sunshine’ saw Nina Locke completely fall off the wagon in this particular tale, as a direct result of all the stress she’s experienced recently, and well, this episode deserves some serious credit for how it handled this particular exploration. Because more often than not, when a recovering alcoholic succumbs to the temptation of the bottle in a horror story, they in turn become a horrific monster, one driven by booze and their drunken fury knows no bounds. But in this tale, Nina doesn’t use alcohol to transform into a monster, she uses it as a crutch. Because her addiction is an illness, one that helps her cope with the pain surrounding her and it was quite powerful to see her simply drink to dull the pain and see her family treat this with care and understanding. Because they were fully aware of the fact that attacking and berating her for a moment of weakness would only complicate matters further. So, they instead took their time and pondered upon their next moves and that allowed for another interesting twist to be introduced into this particular examination. For at one point, Kinsey ponders upon just letting Nina drink so that she can continue to remember the past and enjoy the good vibes currently surging through her veins, and this just speaks volumes to how people sometimes try to normalize and rationalize addiction as the path of least resistance since fighting it is quite the difficult venture. But in the end, eventually Nina had her moment of reckoning when she smashed Rendell’s urn of ashes, when she wasn’t able to repair him in the same manner as other items placed inside the cabinet that can seemingly fix anything, prompting her to pause and listen to her daughter’s kind words while she wept over her actions. But while all of this was powerful and fascinating to watch in its own right, there is still a juicy plot forming behind the scenes and the story found time to focus upon that as well. For Tyler and Kinsey finally got a good look at the door hidden deep within the sea cave, and while they were down there they started to question as to whether or not their dad was the monster he appeared to be since he and his friends carved their named into stone down there, so that others would know them to be ‘The Keepers of the Keys’, which is quite the noble title. And this discovery prompted them to dig deeper on what really happened here, which meant they needed some real answers from someone who knew about the past and that motivated Kinsey to visit Erin Voss and for the first time on the series, she spoke words, and unfortunately… those words were a warning, in that; Dodge and Lucas were apparently the same person. Which has some credence for certain since it was revealed that Dodge was indeed disguising herself as Lucas in this tale in order to hang around Ellie’s place, leaving one to wonder if she’s used this trick before and that might explain why Rendell resorted to violence back in the day. But what matters more about this plot thread, is the sheer fact that this time round, Dodge didn’t win the day. For while she did get to Erin before Kinsey and learn where the Omega Key is buried, there’s no way at the moment she can get near it. Because Rendell buried it in his own mind, and ironically enough, Nina’s actions will keep it safe since Tyler and Kinsey discovered it while cleaning up their father’s ashes. In the end however, this really was a magnificent story for certain, one that did a phenomenal job of balancing plot and commentary in beautiful fashion and well, all character moments aside, it is likely that going forward that grand battle we’ve been waiting for, is about to take place. For the Locke children have what Dodge wants, and there’s zero chance they’re going to give it up willingly. Until next time. Written by Scott Edwards It always hurts when a friend does not believe something that you have told them. No matter how outlandish something may sound, your friends should always have your back and at least pretend to believe you. If they don’t, you are left on your own and have to battle with yourself as to whether or not you may have seen something that did not exist, or you might just end up losing a friend in your life. It is not that difficult to understand what true friendship is but maintaining it the right way is much more difficult. Seth has been shaken up on his drive to his friend Mark’s house. Seeing a man being taken from this world when a blue light comes down and grabs him, Seth needs help from somebody. Mark does not believe the story and his girlfriend Jen is not too sure what is going on with Seth. Mark heads out front to try and investigate what might have happened, but before he is able to make it off the porch, he is zapped by the same blue light and taken away. After two years, Seth is finally starting to feel like he is getting his life back. After being accused of murdering his best friend, he is out of the limelight and back into the working force and although he does not have the best job, he is doing right by his own standards. When talking to one of his co-workers however, Seth finds out that there has been a double murder outside of town that is making him think back to two years ago when Mark was taken. Trying to warn Jen about something terrible about to happen on the horizon, she dismisses his claims, but when she starts to see the same stories popping up on the news, she is getting a bad feeling in her stomach once again. Mark has returned to the planet and needs to find a way back into town to see his love Jen once again. Killing anyone that is in his path, he is keeping the bodies on ice and has a way to bring them back from the dead in a manner of speaking. Infecting his victims, Mark is slowly growing his army and wants Jen to help him take back what was rightfully his, but when Jen had moved on with her life and found a new love, Mark is not able to win her heart back as easily as expected, or at all. Seth will do anything to protect his old friend Jen from whatever craziness that Mark is bringing to the table, but not knowing what really happened to his friend, Seth is in for a huge surprise when it seems like Mark cannot be killed by any conventional weapon. Needing to find a way to escape Mark and his new followers, Jen and Seth want to end the destruction before it makes its way out to the streets and hunts more than just them. A cool concept for an alien movie, having someone be reborn into their old skin, but not be human anymore. I would have to say that the love story is cute and if Jen was willing to love her old boyfriend again, well the ending would have been much different. Seth only has the best intentions for his friends and even when Mark wants to kill him, he still has reservations about what he must do to save himself and Jen. I really liked how the story played out and I especially liked how the movie ended as it left a little smile on my face. If you don’t believe that there is anything out there that can come down to the planet and make a human into one of their own, well, you are not the only one. But is always fun to think about what might happen if we discover we are not alone. Stay Scared. Written by Scott Edwards Being spontaneous is one of the things that people get praised for in relationships. Not knowing what is coming next seems to keep a couple's love alive and they are always looking forward to the next surprise. But being spontaneous can lead to bad results as well for when you are in a distant land and do not know the layout, you may find yourself being taken for a ride. It is always good to do something at the spur of the moment, but you also need to make sure you know what you are getting yourself into when things go wrong. Tom and Lucy are ready to hit the road on their way to a music festival with their friends, but Tom has a surprise for his young love. Hearing about a secluded hotel where the two can spend the night together, Tom has pulled out all of the stops and is ready to see Lucy’s reaction when he tells her. Although Lucy is surprised, she is also kind of upset when she had already made plans with their friends to camp out before the concert. Seeing that Tom is disappointed, she goes along with the plan, since he has put a lot of thought into it and there is no better way to celebrate their first weekend getaway together than under a solid roof and a cozy bed. Not knowing where he is really going, Tom has arranged for a member of the hotel staff to show him the way. Seeing a truck with the hotel emblem on the back, the truck is slated to take the young couple into the woods and leave before the two arrive on their retreat. After watching the truck leave, Tom follows the signs for the hotel, but the back roads are confusing, and he winds up driving right back to where they started. Trying it again and having the same result, Tom gets out and starts walking up a path to see if he can find the hotel that way. When Lucy gets out of the car and starts to rearrange some things, she feels a pull on her hair. Thinking that it was Tom playing a trick on her, she lets it go, and heads up the hill with him. Hearing the car alarm going off, the two rush back down to see what is happening, and when Tom sees that the keys are not in the ignition, the two have to find the keys and get out of the area since there is something strange going on. Keeping an eye out the window after they find the keys, Lucy is sure that she sees someone on the hill looking at them and gets Tom to be her second set of eyes. Seeing that it is just a scarecrow, Tom dismisses what Lucy thinks is happening and the couple continue on their lost drive. Pulling up to a string of lights illuminating Lucy’s dresses, Tom is starting to believe that there is something more happening but cannot explain it and wants to get to the hotel before anything else happens. Cracking open his bottle of scotch, Tom takes some swigs and tries to get Lucy to calm down, but when he takes his eyes off of the road, he hits a man that is trying to get away as well. Max sneaks into the car and guarantees that he knows what is happening in the back woods and can get the couple to the hotel, but the couple soon finds out that their injured passenger does not have the best intentions for anyone in the car. More can be done with less and that is what this movie is out to prove. With only three characters, you get more of a chance to understand their motivations, fears and their true feelings. I cannot believe that after Lucy started to think that she is seeing things that Tom would not be more supportive of her, but he was focused on making it the perfect night for them and he failed. Max was looking for someone to give him a lift away from the crazies in the woods, but he soon proved that the only crazy around was in the car. Making sure that the couple fully understood why they were being tormented with, Max pops the all-important question about who will die on this trip and even though it is not Lucy, he pushes the young woman to her breaking point and enjoys doing it. I liked the characters, along with the flow of the story and while some of the things that were done made me shake my head, when you see the first death, you can understand how creeped out some people can be, especially when looking for a little bit of revenge. Stay Scared. Written by John Edward Betancourt THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.Over the course of the past season and a half or so, The Walking Dead has done a phenomenal job of exploring the power of fear and what it does to people, and it has accomplished this particular feat by introducing one tough and ruthless villain into the mix. For Alpha cares not about compromise or feelings or morality for that matter as well. She simply cares about her way of life, and she will do whatever it takes to keep that status quo going, even if that means destroying lives in brutal and unimaginable fashion, and her constant and unrelenting actions have brought about the exploration in question since she’s been successful in engendering fear and chaos across Hilltop and Alexandria. After all, we’ve watched good people become outright paranoid, to the point where they watch over their shoulders when they travel, out of concern that a Whisperer might be hovering about. But while that’s unsettling in its own right, it’s the lasting impact of living in constant terror that matters more to this exploration, for it has ripped these communities to shreds from the inside out. For they no longer know who to trust, and that’s led to fights amongst friends and surrogate family and some of the characters are so afraid of what horrors might come next, that they’ve embraced the darkest parts of their survival instincts and will also do whatever it takes to keep themselves and their friends safe, regardless of the cost. But what made last night’s episode so fascinating and so unique, is the sheer fact that ‘Morning Star’ figured out a way to add a new wrinkle to this exploration of fear, one that was positive in nature. Which sounds impossible in its own right, and the fact that Alpha was making her move to destroy both Alexandria and Hilltop only added to that impossibility, as did the worry and terror that everyone in Hilltop rightfully felt in this tale. Because the roads out were blocked, the odds seemed insurmountable in regard to survival and well, facing something supremely ugly is what brought about this more positive exploration of fear and its impact upon us. For in essence, there comes a point where fear becomes nothing more than a grand nuisance in our lives, and the mistakes we’ve made because of it, and the way we feel under its influence eventually gives us clarity. And we come to understand that letting it control us and guide us is a bad idea and it is best we simply let go of it. And facing a possible end, and coming to that particular realization allowed for everyone to find a little peace, and it prompted so many to begin to mend all the rifts that have been created since Alpha started playing her little games and this brought about, some incredibly beautiful sequences, the kind that definitely brought a lump to one’s throat. Oddly enough, the majority of positive moments in regard to seizing one’s life back from the iron grip of fear, were handled by Carol. Because she took the time to open up to Ezekiel and let him know how much he really does mean to her. And of course, she took the time to make some level of peace with Daryl, to the point where he made it clear that his anger will eventually fade because they are still the best of friends and he will never reject or hate his biffle. But truly the most pivotal moment when it comes to Carol’s pseudo redemption in this tale, is when she took the time to make a little peace with Lydia. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was nice to see Carol and Lydia both acknowledge their hurt and their sorrow in regard to Henry and their regret in harming one another emotionally, and that definitely offers a shred of hope for a better future when this nightmare is finally over. Yet what was truly impressive about this part of the story, is that the beautiful moments weren’t limited to Carol’s storyline. For Daryl and Ezekiel finally had an open and honest conversation with one another, one filled with respect and admiration and one that ensured that the children would be safe if this fight went south. But truly, the finest moment present in this particular tale is when Daryl and Judith had a little heart to heart about why she couldn’t fight and why she needed to follow his instructions once the fight got underway. Because this really was beautiful and gentle and it was great to see Daryl play the role of the uncle to a tee and receive the beautiful gift of his repaired vest from his niece, since in many ways it symbolized how everyone was rising from the ashes of fear in this tale. But while all of this was wonderful and warm to watch, there was still a grand fight awaiting everyone at Hilltop and eventually, that fight finally arrived at their doorstep, and the newfound motivation and focus found within the walls of Hilltop paid off in spades for a time. Because everyone fought with renewed vigor and determination. But sadly, Alpha had other plans to finish this fight, and despite Negan’s request to keep everyone alive and demand they join the group, Alpha wanted them to join the ranks of the Whisperers as members of the horde and her scheming ways left fire and the dead surrounding this brave band of fighters, and their fate will be determined another day since this one ended on a cliffhanger. If anything, this really was one hell of an episode when all is said and done. Because it did a phenomenal job of building tension since the dead were slowly on their way to Hilltop throughout the entire tale, making their appearance chilling and horrifying when they finally arrived. But more importantly, this story focused heavily on the characters and hopefully everyone on the front lines can escape Alpha’s fiery onslaught in order to allow for something worthwhile to come out of their growth. But before that can happen, they’re in for one epic fight and while we wait to see how that battle ends, we can all bask in the wonder of a magnificent story, one that finally saw everyone confront their fear and their demons and band together to battle an incredible foe. And they’re going to need every ounce of that unity in the days ahead since Alpha’s fury has been unleashed and it will take everything, they’ve got to stop her. Until next time. Written by Scott Edwards THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.There is nothing fun about having to be laid up while your friends are out having a good time. While your friends might want you to be there as well, there is the sense of doubt that runs through your head that says that they are having a better time without you. Being forced to sit anything out is really a test of how you are able to handle it overall. As your mind may wander off to your friends having fun without you, you should be focusing on getting better, since there are so many more memories to be made with them when you are healthy again. With a newly broken leg, Whitney sits on her bed chatting with her friend Jenny who is debating whether or not to come over. With her on again, off again boyfriend once again in the picture, Jenny is living the highlife and might put her relationship over her friendship. Flipping through the channels on her television and listening to her friend rave over her boyfriend, Whitney does not notice the door of her room slowly opening and someone possibly entering. Hanging up her phone as she is tired of hearing her love-stricken friend ramble on, Whitney is given a fright by her mother who is looking to make it the best Halloween ever. Taking some candy, Whitney explains that her friend may not be joining them for a night of spooky fun, but her mother will not let the broken leg keep her down and knows that she can cheer her daughter up with some great horror movie watching as the night cools down. Getting some trick or treaters at the door, Whitney’s mother leaves to see what they are wearing and when it is obviously teenagers who put no effort into dressing up, she sends them on their way with no candy. As Whitney’s window gets hit by a water balloon, she is forced to ask her mother if she pissed off more trick or treaters again, but when looking out the window, she spots a strange figure standing across the street. Texting her friend to see if she is getting messed with, Whitney finds out that she is in for a Halloween night that she could have never prepared for. Wow, this is a pretty good end to The Witching Season, as you get all of the classic scares that you would expect in a horror movie. With call backs to every story in the series, you can tell that all of these wild events are taking place on the same night, just in different places around the town. I really liked the mother trying to cheer up her daughter in this episode, mainly because she wanted to watch scary movies with her, as that could be a good thing to bond over these days. With a County Spookula show, some call backs to previous episodes, a fun loving mother, a broken leg, a crazy in love friend, some candy, some vandalism, a stranger in black, an unknown intruder and a night that will never be forgotten, this series has really done its job in making sure that you understand the power of ‘The Witching Season’, even if you do not believe. Stay Scared. Written by Scott Edwards There are some times in life that you need to take a stand for yourself and even if it does not seem like a good idea at the time, you can earn some respect for yourself. There is something to be said for those who do not allow themselves to be held down and let others take advantage of their fears. These people are very strong mentally and if there is a way that this could be passed on to the others who are being picked on, it would lead to less hatred and less bullying. Physical altercations are not always the answer, a person’s mind is the most powerful thing to use, and you just have to know how to outsmart your opponent. Lincoln Taggert is having a day tough at home when his father gets back from work and sees that the television is not working. Taking out his frustration on Lincoln, the young man is not in the mood to be messed with but going to school will not be the best solution. His friendly bully starts to harass him, but he is in for a surprise when Lincoln decides to finally fight back. Stabbing his bully in the face with a fork, Lincoln is deemed the troubled kid and is sent away to a reform school to get his mind back and understand that violence is not the answer. Being stereotyped as a troubled kid is not sitting well with Lincoln, but his new friend Isaac is happy to welcome him in. The troubled teens all listen to their professor Jack Iverson and the message he is trying to convey in his camp and his young assistant and former student Christine is along for the ride. But even with their teachings, the kids are far from changing as Willie who was sent to the school for bullying sees who his next victim will be. Lincoln does not want to be a part of it, but he is thrown into a situation that nobody will let him run from. After being beat up by Willie and his friends, Lincoln runs and hides in an old building, but he finds out that he is not alone as the voice of Moira rings in his ears. As Lincoln thinks that everything is fine after he has calmed down, he tries to forget what happened, but Moira is looking for revenge on those who have hurt him. Finding Willie cut to shreds in the classroom, Lincoln’s new girlfriend Kaitlin believes that he is the killer, but he has no idea what is really happening. Being freed from her life in hell, Moira has come back to the school and is not ready to leave since she can control everyone’s fate. When Lincoln finally witnesses how she is able to use her power, he tries to end the relationship and send her back to her hole. But Moira has someone else that wants her help and she will not be taken away from the end game that drove her to who she has become. When reading the description of this movie, I think I expected something a little bit different. Even though that was not really the case, the movie itself is pretty solid. I like the story line and how Lincoln has to battle everyone that is around him, even if he is just trying to stay away. The arrival of Moira changes his life and with his wish of his attackers being killed being granted, he knows he should be thankful, but he has remorse for what he has asked for and wants to make it right. There is a good story behind what happened to Moira, I only wish there was a little bit more to see in regard to how she truly cracked and became the killer of bullies. Stay Scared. |
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November 2024
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